Hannah's Diary
by bionic4ever
Summary: Sur5: Steve and Jaime's middle child is keeping a diary when she witnesses something no child should ever see. Told in first person through Steve and Jaime's eyes and Hannah's diary. Thank you to Julie, for being such a willing sounding board.
1. Prologue

**Hannah's Diary**

Prologue

February 19, 1989

Dear Jury-ers,

My name is Hannah Austin, and I will be nine years old in June. I guess you know that already, since Mom said you need to see my diary. I started writing in it when I was seven, but just for me and not for people I don't even know. Mom tried to tell me, but I don't understand what a Federal Grand Jury is. I know you will put those people in prison for a long time, so if my diary will help you, I guess it's ok. Besides, Mom says I don't have any choice. I have to give it to you.

So here you go. Here is my diary. Can I please have it back when you are done? Thank you.

Hannah Austin

- - - - - -


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

October 2, 1987

Hi, Diary! My name is Hannah and I am seven years old. My mom said maybe I should keep a diary because I have been very sad. I am the middle kid and have three sisters and a brother, but I'm the only one who is not a twin. James and Lauren have each other and Jenna and Crystal are twins too, but I'm just me. Plain old boring Hannah, all by myself.

I don't really have friends to play with and I have never been to school, not even once. Mom teaches us at home, and sometimes I play with my sisters and brother but mostly I read or do extra stuff in my lesson books. I like to learn things, and I really like it when Mom and Dad say they are proud of me. Dad says I'm seven going on thirty, but I'm not sure what that means. I think Mom bought me this diary to keep me company.

- - - - - -

_(Jaime): When Hannah was born, I looked into her eyes and knew immediately that she was a very old soul. Steve says she's a little old lady in a little girl's body, but it's more than that. Hannah had **wisdom** long before she had knowledge – or even awareness._

_- - - - - -_

October 6, 1987

Uncle Oscar was here today, Diary. I hate it when he comes. He's always really nice, and pretends he's here to see us kids, but when he comes to visit it means Mom or Dad has to go away again, every time. Today it was Dad. Most of the time when Mom says I look lonely, I'm really just thinking. When Uncle Oscar has been here, then I'm lonely.

November 30, 1987

Uncle Oscar was here again. He still plays that game where he pretends he can't tell Crystal and Jenna apart. I think he's really known the difference from the first time he met them as babies, and he's just being funny and nice. It sure makes them laugh!

This time it was Mom who had to go away. Lauren and James know what's going on. I can tell by their faces. That is not fair! I'm not a baby! Sometimes I think they must be doing something bad, because Dad always looks sad when he has to leave us, and Mom just hugs us real close and hurries out the door so we don't see if she is crying.

December 11, 1987

Mom is still not home with us. Usually, it's only a week or so until we have both Mom and Dad again. Lauren cries in her room at night. So do I. I wish I knew what was really going on. I would ask Dad, but I know without anybody needing to tell me that this is something Dad and Mom don't want to talk about.

December 14, 1987

Mom is home!!! She hugged all five of us (and Dad) all together, then one at a time, for a real long time. She was crying. When will I be old enough to know what James and Lauren know? Maybe I will try to find out myself, like Harriet the Spy.

- - - - - -

_That mission was a really close call; even Steve doesn't know how close. The phrase 'my life flashed before my eyes' wasn't exactly true, though. When I stood there, staring down the barrel of a very large, very nasty-looking gun, __my __**family **__was all I could think about. Sometimes, I think about how nice it would be to just be normal. _

_Hannah knew for certain, after that almost-failed, seat-of-the-pants mission that her parents were a long sight away from normal. If I'd have known back then about the possibilities that were running through her head, I'd have grabbed Steve and the kids and just started running. Well, maybe not; that would be no way to raise children. I just don't think the uncertainty (and yes, fear) my children knew was right, either._

_- - - - - -_

February 26, 1988

Dear Diary, Dad has gone off to wherever Uncle Oscar makes them hide when he takes them away. What are they doing that's so bad that can't even talk about it? They always seem to have money, but neither one has a job. Oh, I know they were both famous once. Diary, did you know my Dad walked on the moon? My mom used to play tennis, and she was one of the best in the world. Maybe they both saved lots of money.

Or maybe they're bank robbers. Uncle Oscar takes them to rob a bank, then they have to hide for a little while after. I don't think so, but it's something they can't talk about. Is it work? I wish I knew.

April 11, 1988

We are on vacation with Grandpa and Grandma. We didn't know we were going to have a vacation. I don't think Mom or Dad knew either. Uncle Oscar came over, and all of us kids had to go play outside. I heard Dad yelling, but I don't know what he said. Mom left right away with Uncle Oscar. She was crying. Dad left when Grandma and Grandpa came to get us. He didn't look very happy. Lauren was crying, too, but no one will tell me why.

Anyway, now we're on vacation. We got to come to this pretty little island, with our own little house to stay in. Not a motel, either, and there isn't anybody here but us. It's real pretty here. I took my new book and sat in the sand to read. Jenna and Crystal are playing with their pails and shovels. James is climbing a tree and Lauren is locked in her bedroom, crying.

I miss Mom and Dad. Maybe they'll come and be on vacation, too.

- - - - - -


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_When Hannah was almost eight, Oscar received an Intel report that said a terrorist group we'd helped to partially disband was planning to try and grab our kids to smoke us out into the open. __**Nobody **__threatens our kids; that's simply not an option. We sent them to the OSI safe house on a little island just off of Paradise Island, with Jim and Helen, while we went after the creeps. _

- - - - - -

April 27, 1988

Well, Diary, we've been here for over two weeks now. Uncle Oscar came last week and he didn't even play his game with Crystal and Jenna. He said hi to us kids, and then we all had to go play outside. We sure get sent outside a lot. When Uncle Oscar was done talking to Grandma and Grandpa, he got into his plane-thing and left. We didn't see Grandma for the rest of the day. Grandpa said she was tired and was laying down.

I wish Mom and Dad would call us, at least. I want to tell Mom that I've been keeping up with my lessons, even though James and Lauren haven't studied anything since we got here. They just keep going off alone to tell secrets. I've been helping Jenna and Crystal with their ABC's and numbers the best I can so when Mom comes back she will be happy with us. Diary, Mom and Dad are coming back, aren't they?

- - - - - -

_We got the terror group – all of them – eventually. Steve received a special souvenir of our accomplishment: on the day we rounded them up, he was shot in his stomach and when he went down, he also broke his left arm. He was in the hospital for nine days, which was the longest he could be persuaded to stay in bed and away from the family. He still looked like the walking wounded when Rudy reluctantly discharged him, but at least we were finally on our way home, to our kids._

_- - - - - -_

May 8, 1988

We are finally home, and so are Mom and Dad. Something is wrong with Dad, though. He has a cast on his arm, and I could tell it hurt when we hugged him. He still made sure to hug every one of us, but his face was awful white after that, and Mom helped him get into bed so he could rest. She told us that he'd been in an accident but he'll be ok. Uncle Oscar stopped over and this time he didn't take Mom or Dad away with him. He played with the little ones, but only for a couple of minutes, then he went into the bedroom to see Dad.

While they were talking, Mom got all of us started on our lessons again. She was so happy that the little twins know all of their ABC's now, and can count to 20. She gave me an extra hug and a gold star for my notebook, for helping them. I wish Dad and Mom would never have to go away like that, ever again. Maybe if they do, next time I can try to follow them. If they won't tell me, maybe there is some other way to find out what's going on.

June 16, 1988

Today was my birthday, and it was the best one ever! Mom made my favorite double chocolate cake with cherries in the middle and we ordered pizza for dinner. I got to pick the toppings. Grandma and Grandpa got me exactly what I wanted – a detective kit. It has everything, even fingerprint stuff!

Diary, I saved the very best for last. I got a puppy! He's a fluffy sheepdog, mostly white with one black ear and a couple of little spots on his back. And he's all mine! For the first time, it feels good to not be a twin. Since I'll be doing detective stuff and he'll be my partner, I named him Watson. Get it? I can't wait to get started!

I almost forgot to tell you I'm eight now.

- - - - - -

_When Hannah turned eight, Steve and I decided to buy her a dog. In part, it was to stave off loneliness, but also to let her feel a sense of responsibility. James and Lauren got to do that early, when Jenna and Crystal were born, because we had each of the older twins 'adopt' a younger twin that they would help care for. Hannah was almost three when her little sisters were born, and she'd been bugging me to start giving her lessons, so we made that her job. It was a little early – she was so young – but she caught on to everything really quickly. Knew her ABC's and could count to 50 before her third birthday, and she's been an insatiable learner ever since. She finished every lesson I ever gave her early and asked for more. I think her goal was to catch up to James and Lauren, and she pretty much did, although I'd never actually tell them that._

_Anyhow, Steve and I thought she was at the right age to have a responsibility all her own, and having a pet when the others didn't made her feel special, even though she wasn't a twin. She and Watson were inseparable from day one, which proved to be more of a blessing than we could have possibly known._

_- - - - - -_


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

_'I nearly dropped my teeth' was always just a funny expression to me, until Hannah really started getting into her new detective kit. When she asked us __**the**__ question, Steve and I both very nearly dropped our teeth._

_- - - - - -_

June 30, 1988

I love my new detective kit! So far, I've fingerprinted James and all three of my sisters. I didn't do my own fingerprints because I know what I've been up to. I used the close-up magnifier on Jenna and Crystal's prints, and there isn't any difference. They really are identical. I've never had trouble telling them apart. Now I am saving up my allowance to buy a tape recorder, so I can hear what goes on when I'm not around. I should have enough soon! I can't wait!

August 11, 1988

I think Mom and Dad are mad at me. I left my tape recorder running under the sofa last night, and they were already talking when they went in there, but on the tape I heard Mom say "Even you have to admit that sometimes it sucks to be bionic." Dad told her that it still had its advantages, and then she must have left the room, because Dad called to her to not walk away That's all that was on the tape.

So this morning, dummy-me asked Mom during our lessons what the word 'bionic' meant. You would think I'd asked her about sex! She got all nervous and finally said something about 'someday, when you're older'. Then she changed the subject and looked at me like I'd better not ask again. Tonight, she and Dad both sat down with me in the den and asked me where I had heard that word. I was honest and told them what I did. Dad sort of laughed, until Mom slugged him. Then they told me that listening to people when they don't know you're listening is bad and can even be dangerous. They said if I did it again, I would get grounded.

Diary, I still don't know what bionic means.

- - - - - -

_I should've guessed that Hannah would be the first of our kids to stumble on the word 'bionic'. By this time, Lauren and James had already discovered that Steve and I were government operatives (Lauren loved the words 'secret agent'), and Hannah was aware that her brother and sister knew something she didn't. I think that was why she wanted a detective kit. We should've known it was only a matter or time..._

_- - - - - -_

September, 21, 1988

Uncle Oscar took Dad with him today, and I almost got James to tell me what was happening. Right after they left, I went in and sat down on his bed and told him how happy I was that Mom had finally told me the truth. He asked me what I meant and I told him "You know, that stuff we aren't supposed to talk about, with Dad, Mom and Uncle Oscar."

He said "Really? And you're not scared?" He looked at me kind of funny. Then he started to say something about when they told her they were working, and that's where he stopped. He said "I don't believe you." Then he threw a pillow at me, and wouldn't talk anymore.

Ok. So it isn't a weird vacation trip that they go on. I kind of knew that anyway. They work with Uncle Oscar, or they work for him. I WILL find out! I'm a detective now, and Watson and me are on the case!

September 23,1988

I've been not talking to James for two days now, and today he finally noticed. He got sort of weird, jumping up and down in front of me and making faces. Then he got mad and went stomping off, but before he went into the house he told me that wasn't a very nice way to treat the person who'd once saved my life.

There's sure a lot of stuff I don't understand lately. I'm going to ask Mom and Dad, when Dad gets home tonight.

- - - - - -

_When James told Hannah he'd once saved her life, Steve and I had a really tough time explaining that one to her. She was about 18 months old when it happened. We'd gone to the park for the afternoon – James, Lauren, and I – and we took Hannah along in her stroller. An extremist group decided the best way to get me off my guard was to grab one of the kids, and they tried to snatch Hannah. It was the closest any of my kids ever came to true danger because of the lives Steve and I lead. _

_I pushed the stroller out of the way and headed in the opposite direction, to lead the men away from the kids. James grabbed Hannah's stroller and he and Lauren ran home to get Steve. They were true heroes that day, saving my life, too, when they were able to describe the men's van and give a plate number. _

_The trouble is, how do you explain that to an over-intelligent, much-too-curious eight year old? We ended up telling her the partial truth: it had been a kidnapping attempt, and James had grabbed her and run home. It seemed to satisfy her – for the time being. That night, after we'd tucked her in, we knew for certain that Hannah and her search for answers would be taking all of us on a very bumpy ride._

_- - - - - -_


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

November 29, 1988

Diary, I am so scared right now, and it's my own fault. We were all outside playing in the backyard, and I got hungry. I went into the kitchen for a cookie, and Uncle Oscar was talking to Mom and Dad in the next room. We didn't know he was coming, but we never do. Well, they didn't know I was in there, and I swear I wasn't trying to spy on them, but I didn't go back outside, either, even though I know I should have. I wish I had.

Uncle Oscar was saying something about red nights or maybe knights. Dad swore, and he said Mom couldn't go because they would KILL HER! Then Mom said she should be the one to go (no, I don't know where) because she knew the nights or knights and Dad didn't. She said she could get in and back out before anyone knew she was even there, whatever that means. I got too scared then and went back outside. Nobody went with Uncle Oscar today, but Mom and Dad were both very quiet tonight.

Why would anyone hate my mom so much that they want to kill her? Does that mean Mom and Dad are criminals? If I ask about it, I'll get in trouble for listening. Diary, I just don't know what to do. I wish you could answer me back.

I can't fall asleep tonight, so I'm going to start reading the new book Dad just bought me. I'll have to sneak-read with my flashlight, but I can't lay here in bed and stare at the dark. It's too creepy. I'm scared enough already. Reading a good book always helps.

- - - - - -

_The Red Knights were an American-based terror group, and the largest group I ever brought down on my own. We didn't know just how big they were until I was already inside (undercover) and I couldn't get word out at that point, so I just went ahead and got the job done. Took 'em all down – more than a dozen men – and secured every one of them until the wagons could pick them up. The trouble was, the monster wouldn't stay dead. It was like one of those freaks of nature – cut off a leg and it grows another one._

_The Red Knights apparently never forgot about me, though; they were bound and determined that one of those new legs would exact their revenge._

- - - - - -

November 30, 1988

I'm sorry for getting you wet, Diary, but I just can't stop crying. I think Mom and Dad had a fight last night. My parents never fight – ever. It was really late, after midnight I think, and I was still awake, reading. That's how I heard them yelling. Now this morning, Dad wasn't at breakfast and Mom is pretending she's ok, but I can tell she really isn't. Since I've been working on using quote marks, I think I'll try writing down what I heard. That way, I can practice my writing and maybe it will all make sense when it's down on paper.

"Dammit, Jaime! They're baiting you, don't you see that?" (I have no idea what that means.)

"Of course they are! That's why I have to go!"

"Out of the question!"

"Oscar said"

"I don't care! I've always let Oscar send you anywhere he needed to, but not this time!"

"Let him? Excuse me?"

"You know what I mean. I won't have our kids growing up without a mother!"

"I can take care of this, Steve!"

"I said no!"

"Ok, so you go instead, and then what? They kill you on sight then come after me for not following directions! Bingo! Our kids have no parents at all!"

Then Dad said something I couldn't hear, Mom yelled his name and I heard the front door slam. Diary, I was wrong. It's all written down now, and I still don't understand.

- - - - - -

_The only time Steve ever left in the middle of the night (and without hugging the kids goodbye) was when he insisted on being the one to go after the Red Knights. They were claiming they wanted to give themselves up and wanted to negotiate acceptable terms – with me. We knew they were lying, that it was all some kind of trap, but I figured that once I was in their midst I could take them all down again, bing-bang-boom – like a row of dominoes – but it didn't work out that way._

_I was sure that Steve storming over there in a fit of macho crap would only make things worse, and I was right – almost. Things had already gotten much, much worse; we just didn't know it yet._

_- - - - - -_


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

December 2, 1988

This is so not fair! Me – Hannah – grounded! I overheard Mom on the phone and she said "Oscar" and something like "Ok, see you in an hour, then." But I didn't put the tape recorder under the sofa this time. James did. Oh, ok – I gave him a dollar.

When Uncle Oscar left, Mom called me into the den and she was holding the tape recorder. James is the best brother in the world because he ran in right away and told Mom he did it, but Mom is too smart. She asked me how much I paid him, so I told her the truth. She made James give her the dollar, then she took the tape and grounded me for the whole week! Grandma and Grandpa will be in town tomorrow for part of their vacation and when James and my sisters go to visit them, I have to stay home.

I've never been grounded before. I wonder what it's like.

- - - - - -

_Steve probably would've thought Hannah's little recording caper was funny, but I didn't see the humor and Steve wasn't here. Eavesdropping is never a good thing, but eavesdropping on Oscar Goldman is a world class no-no!_

_Oscar told me that Steve appeared to be handling the Red Knights with no problems and I knew Hannah had been bottling up a lot of angst, so part of the reason I grounded her was to spend some one-on-one quality time with our middle child. I had no idea..._

- - - - - -

December 3, 1988

I am so bored, and the others have only been gone for three hours! I finished the book I was reading, played with Watson, dusted all the doorknobs for fingerprints and even cleaned my room without being asked. That's how bored I am! Now I'm up in the attic, looking for Mom and Dad's old yearbooks while Mom makes lunch. We're going to look at them together after we eat. That'll be fun.

Oh my God!

Diary, this is bad – really, really bad. Maybe if I keep writing, I won't freak out. I can't go anywhere or do anything else, and I have to stay calm and quiet. There's a bunch of men downstairs with Mom. They have guns. I don't know what to do. Two cars came up the driveway so fast it sounded like a thunder storm. That was what made me look out the window. The men – five of them – were getting out of their cars, two from one car and three from the other car, when Mom went out the front door, right toward them. That was when I saw that the really ugly man with red hair had a gun. He tried to grab Mom's arm, and she turned around and looked like she was going to hit him, but then the other men went all around her, and they all had guns, too, all pointed right at her.

Mom put her arm down and didn't hit anyone. Then the red haired man pushed her toward the house and they all came inside. They're downstairs now, in the den, I think. I can't hear anything they're saying. What do they want? Are they killing my mom? Dad, where are you?

I have to do something, but I can't do anything from up here. Oh – I know! The attic window on the side of the house is up over the garage. Maybe I could climb out and get onto the garage roof and then jump down and run for help. I'm not very good at that kind of stuff, but those men are down there with Mom, and I think the red haired man is going to hurt her. I have to try. Diary, I will write more later. I hope.

- - - - - -

_It was the worst feeling in the world, sitting in that den, surrounded by gunman, with no idea where Hannah was. When I heard those cars come roaring up the driveway, my gut knew right away what was happening, and my first thought was to hide her, protect her somehow, but there was no time. I knew if I didn't go out and try to intercept them, the Red Knights would storm the house, probably shooting as they came. Hannah could've been caught in the crossfire! _

_I was sure surprised to see Red himself get out of the car. I knew they had to have broken him out of prison, because he'd been sentenced to double-life and had served just over ten years. I saw his face and knew they hadn't come to negotiate (which I pretty much knew anyway) – they were there for a final round of revenge. They knew Steve would insist on taking my place at the original so-called negotiations, and with him out of the way and occupied elsewhere, I'd be that much more vulnerable. They'd probably been watching the house and had seen the children leaving with Jim and Helen, so they thought I was all alone. They didn't know about Hannah. _

_I took a swing at Red, hoping he'd shoot me then and there, they'd leave and Hannah would be unharmed. I knew he and his men were ruthless enough to kill a child for the agony it would cause me. When they dragged me into the house, my heart sank. Where was my daughter, and was she safe?_

_- - - - - -_


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

(Steve's turn):

Ironically, Hannah made the tougher jump – almost 2 stories from the attic to the garage roof – without a problem. Then, in a much shorter leap to the ground, she broke her ankle. Somehow, she made it into the woods where she was out of sight. She'd been intending to run two miles through the trees to our nearest neighbor – Erleena Drake – on the other side of the woods, but just a few yards in, Hannah reached her limit. Watson, who'd followed her, began nuzzling her and whimpering, and Hannah told us she petted the dog until they both calmed down.

Fortunately, she'd had the foresight to stuff a few sheets of paper and a pencil into the pocket of her jeans, probably intending to write things down and sort them out like she usually does. Jaime has nurtured our children's minds so well that it didn't take Hannah long to come up with an idea.

Every day, when she took Watson for his walk, they'd either take the sidewalk or the path through the woods and end up at Mrs. Drake's house, where they'd rest for a few minutes before coming back. Erleena always kept a good stock of cookies for Hannah and doggy treats for Watson, so Watson knew and adored her. Hannah's heart must've been pounding at near-bionic speed, but she took out the pencil and wrote a note:

_Mrs. Drake, please call 714-386-9811 and tell whoever answers that Jaime and Hannah need help __fast__. Thank you. Hannah Austin._

Our eight year old genius threaded the note through Watson's collar and told him "Find Mrs. Drake, Watson! Get your treat!" Good old Watson took off running, and Hannah crossed every finger...

- - - - - -

_Red told me they'd already killed Steve, and while I suspected they were playing mind games, trying to hurt me in any way possible, I didn't know for sure. I was trying to come up with some way to get everyone back outside before they did what they'd come to do. If Hannah was lucky enough to stay hidden, I didn't want her coming downstairs later and finding...me._

_The Knights had other plans, though. They'd made it quite clear what the end result would be, but I didn't know why they were dragging it out. I tried to get out of the chair they'd shoved me into, but one of them had a stun gun which doesn't play nicely with bionics and I had no choice but to stay put. And...to wait._

_- - - - - -_

All of a sudden, with no warning, the Knights told me to leave, that I was "needed at home". I definitely didn't like the sound of that, and knew right away that Jaime was in big trouble. I called Oscar's office, to have him meet me at the house, and Callahan told me that he and an entire posse were already on their way over there. She told me about the message that Jaime and Hannah needed help, and it sent a chill straight through me. Where were the rest of my kids? I decided to beat the traffic and just ran there instead, and Oscar and the others had just set up outside in the driveway. The downstairs drapes were all drawn shut, and we couldn't see what was happening inside.

Oscar had just hung up his mobile phone, and he pulled me aside, away from the windows, and told me they were looking for me and wanted him to call them back again when I got there. He also told me both sets of twins were with Jim and Helen, but no one knew where Hannah was. Threatening **me** is one thing, but these idiots had my wife (and quite possibly our daughter); I've never been one to agree to a terrorist's planned itinerary, and I wasn't about to start now. My talking to them would've fed into their plan, and we were running on MY plan now! First, though, I had to have a plan.

Oscar had originally thought of bombing them with nerve gas, but Rudy couldn't say for sure how that might affect Jaime – or Hannah. Knockout gas was an option, but could easily do more than knock out a child.

I will forever be happy and grateful that we decided to buy Hannah the dog, because at that moment, when we were up against a figurative brick wall, Watson came bounding out of the woods, his tail wagging. I stayed in front of the garage, where the men inside couldn't see me if they looked out, and asked the dog to find Hannah. He looked at me, and I could almost swear that dog nodded – then he headed off into the trees and took me straight to my daughter!

Hannah cried when she saw me, but very quietly, so I knew she was fully aware of what was happening. She hugged me tight, and I could see she was hurt. I got down on the ground next to her to look at her ankle, but Hannah shook her head and asked me to please get her mom away from those men. My heart swelled with pride and broke at the same time. I got on the datacom and called for Rudy to come and stay with Hannah, then went back toward the house to reclaim my wife.

- - - - - -


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Now that we knew Hannah was safely outside the house, our options opened up considerably. Nerve gas was still out; Rudy felt that if Jaime were drugged or disabled in any way, the results might be disastrous. The knockout gas canisters were delivered within minutes, along with a half-dozen gas masks. I put one on and stood right next to the door, on the non-windowed side. I intended to be the first one in, with Jaime being the first one out. Oscar gave the signal, and three small holes were created in three separate windows, with the canisters detonating instantly. I gave it 'til the count of three, then went inside to find my wife.

Jaime was slumped over the side of one of the armchairs, with all five men unconscious on the floor around her. I sort of 'nudged' them out of the way with my feet (maybe not as gently as I should've, but oh well), grabbed my wife and carried her out into the fresh air where a medic now waited with an oxygen mask. Jaime was already fighting her way back to consciousness, and firmly pushed away the mask.

"Steve...find...Hannah..." was the first thing she said. I held her until she was fully awake, and kept telling her Hannah was safe. As soon as Jaime was coherent, I called on the datacom for Rudy to bring our daughter to her mother. Soon, Jaime was in the Medivac, flying to the hospital with our newest little hero in her arms.

- - - - - -

When we got to the hospital, Jaime refused to leave Hannah's side, and I told Rudy that the only way we'd get them both settled into beds for a good night's rest (they were both staying overnight, for observation) was to put the two beds in the same room. Once Rudy was in agreement and the hospital rules were bent, Jaime and I sat on either side of Hannah's bed and talked to her about happy things – like Watson, her favorite books, what she'd been studying – until she finally drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face. Then I helped Jaime into a wheelchair (at Rudy's insistence, since she was still a little wobbly) and took her down to the lounge. We both knew we had plenty to talk about.

- - - - - -

_Steve brought it up first, but we were both well aware we had a few things to explain to our middle child. We weren't sure yet exactly what she'd seen or what she knew, and we didn't tell James and Lauren about the work we do until they were ten, but we knew that for Hannah, it was time. In many ways, she was more mature at eight than the twins were at ten, and what she'd just gone through deserved an honest explanation. Steve and I have never lied to our children – ever – and we weren't about to start now._

_Since the other kids would be with Jim and Helen for a few more days, we decided to take a short trip of our own, up to the vacation cabin, while the house was being aired out and its windows replaced. We told Hannah that we wanted to spend some time with just her and Watson, which made her whole face light up, and we explained that the three of us would have a good long talk once we got settled in up there. That gave Steve and I the length of the drive to figure out what we were going to say._

_- - - - - -_

The weather had cooperated – it was a gorgeous, sunny day. We sat down together on the front porch of the cabin, with Hannah's ankle propped up on throw pillows, and Jaime and I sat on either side of our daughter with both of us holding her close. Jaime started by asking Hannah where she'd been and what she'd seen the previous afternoon. It grieved us both terribly to learn that Hannah had seen the men's guns and also witnessed them manhandling her mother as they forced Jaime into the house. She didn't hear any of what was being said, and never saw the stun gun, but she'd seen far more than any child should ever have to see.

Jaime told her how smart she'd been to write down the details, and how very brave it was for her to jump down from the attic to try and go for help. She (and all of our children) had memorized a phone number we'd given them to use in case of an extreme emergency, and now Jaime carefully explained that the number was for Oscar's private phone line. We told her that yes, he was our boss as well as a very close friend, and that he was a very important man in our country's government. Hannah listened to every word with eyes even wider than usual, taking it all in like a thirsty sponge. I told her, as gently as possible, that the men who'd come to the house were men her mother had put behind bars, and they'd come intending to hurt Jaime as a means of revenge.

When we'd both finished our explanations, Hannah was quiet for several very long minutes, just absorbing what she'd learned, then she looked at each of us and smiled. (I can't tell you how much that smile warmed my heart!) She said "So...you're really the good guys?" Jaime agreed that she was right, and Hannah gave a little giggle and added "I almost thought you were bank robbers, since you wouldn't tell us anything, but don't worry – I'll keep it a secret."

Like Jaime said when Hannah was born, our middle child is a very old soul.

- - - - - -


	9. Epilogue

Epilogue

_Hannah happened to mention that she overheard the argument Steve and I had right before he left to 'negotiate' with the Knights. That seemed to scare her almost as much as the gunmen had. We resisted the urge to scold her for being up so long after her bedtime, and told her – as gently and neutrally as we could – that we'd disagreed about the right way to handle what was going on, and that we were both so sorry for frightening her. Steve and I have never had a loud disagreement like that before, and after we put Hannah to bed, we agreed that we will make every effort to never have one again. We've always been able to work out differences of opinion by talking them through (emotions were just exceptionally high that day), so we have no doubt we can keep that promise – for ourselves as well as for our children. _

_I can't believe that Hannah thought Steve and I were bank robbers! On the other hand, she's got a brilliant mind and a vivid imagination, so...at least she didn't think we were hired assassins! We told her about the work we do with Oscar, but left out any mention of bionics. James and Lauren are twelve now, and they've never even heard the word, so since Hannah never brought it up, neither did we. Eventually, one day, that time will come, too, but for now I would like our children to be able to enjoy just being kids._

- - - - - -

December 5, 1988

Well, Diary, we sure had an adventure together, didn't we? It turned out that Mom and Dad are sort of secret agents, for our side, and the men who tried to hurt Mom were the bad guys. They've all been caught, and Mom said that I might have to go to court and be a witness, but since I'm so young (who says?), if I'll let the court see my diary, that might be ok, instead of me going to court in person. Mom and Dad think that would be a lot better, and even though I've never seen the inside of a real court, they are probably right. I've had enough excitement for this lifetime – or at least until I'm nine!

END


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